Choose one important social group within the British colonies. Explain how this group's competition, cooperation, and conflict with other groups shaped the development of colonial society. Use historical evidence to support your conclusions. You may wish to consider one of the following groups.

An example of a social group that existed within the British colonies were the Puritans. This was a significant group even at the beginning of the history in the colonies. Puritans were some of the first people to arrive to North America, and they were also particularly successful.

Puritans left an important legacy in colonial society. Their cooperation allowed them to survive and thrive in the new territory. Moreover, the fact that their communities were so tight allowed their values and principles to be passed down through generations, in some cases to the present. Many of these values were codified in the first codes of law of the colonies.

However, the Puritans also experienced conflict. For example, they were often in conflict with groups that represented more liberal, modern ideas. The reluctance of Puritans to accept new ideas led to problems such as the witch hunts of the seventeenth century.